In Sudan, one of the oldest and most unique beauty and health rituals known as Dukhan or smoke bath, is a traditional practice where the body is exposed to scented smoke from a burning wood.
Dukhan is popular among married women and soon-to-be-brides. A practice which is part of marriage process for brides is believed to beautify the skin, making the body firmer and adding a lasting fragrance on the skin of the bride-to-be.
While some men also use it to relieve body pains, especially joint pain, the practice is generally considered a women’s ritual in northern Sudanese culture, a culture which has been largely adopted by most states in the northern part of the country.
In some instances, it is believed to able to treat sexually transmitted infections, such as syphilis and gonorrhea, but in this circumstance, various medicinal plants, such as tundub (with its botanical name as capparis decidua, which is a desert plant which seeds and oil have traditional medicinal and nutritional uses), are used instead.
Although the ritual is Sudanese in origin, it has also spread into Nigeria, particularly the northern part of the country, where it has been adopted by women across different communities. In many parts of the North, Dukhan has become part of bridal preparation and married life, valued for its beauty effects, fragrance and role in enhancing intimacy. For brides in particular, the smoke bath is seen as a way of preparing the body and skin for marriage.
The process begins with the woman applying karkar, a special oil made by mixing sesame oil with various local herbs and perfumes. She then covers herself with a thick wool blanket and sits on a stool with a hole in the middle. Underneath the stool, a fire is lit in a small pit and special woods are placed on it. The most common are talh (acacia wood, from the acacia tree) and shaff (a locally grown scented wood). They are called turaren wuta here in Nigeria. These woods produce a rich, sweet-smelling smoke that surrounds the body.
The woman remains seated until the smoke becomes too hot to handle. The heat opens the pores of the skin, while the perfumed smoke is believed to smoothen and soften the skin, tighten the body, particularly the private, and leave a natural fragrance. After the smoke bath, women often receive a dilka massage (a body scrub made from turmeric, honey and other ingredients), that leaves the skin glowing.
Still, questions remain about whether the smoke bath is truly healthy. Medical experts have expressed concerns about its safety. In fact, Dr Naima Idris of the Girl Talk Series on an Instagram live described the practice bluntly: ‘It is like a barbecue for a woman’s private part.’
To understand why the practice continues to hold such meaning despite the concerns, Weekend Trust spoke with women who have experienced Dukhan firsthand.
Mariya Ibrahim, a bride-to-be, explained that the practice is a part of marriage preparation. ‘To be honest, it is a tradition that has always been done. Young girls and brides-to-be are excited at the thought of that aspect of wedding preparation. It is painful and time-taking, but once it is finished, you smell so nice and look better. I do it because all my sisters that are married did it. I cannot imagine a bride not having to do Dukhan or the whole gyaran jiki process.’
Zainab Musa, who has been married for four years, told Weekend Trust that she still maintains Dukhan as part of her beauty routine. ‘I began Dukhan as part of my wedding preparations, just like every other bride. My mother is from Borno State, so I grew up around the burning of turaren wuta for cloths. I often saw her and my aunties practise Dukhan without negative effects. Over time, I personally began to enjoy the fragrance it leaves behind. For me, it is not only a tradition but also a form of self-care,’ she said.
Although Dukhan is traditionally practiced, mainly by women from northern communities, today, it has crossed those cultural boundaries. Women from other regions have embraced the practice, showing how the smoke bath is gaining popularity beyond its original roots.
Elizabeth, a young woman from Anambra now living in Abuja, said she first discovered Dukhan through a sponsored Instagram advert by a spa. ‘I decided to give it a try. Honestly, it hasn’t really had any bad effect on me, but sometimes I do it together with the full gyaran jiki process, and that makes me look more beautiful and smell really nice. I don’t do it often, maybe once in three months, just as a self-care thing,’ she said.
Not all women continue with the Dukhan ritual after marriage. Aisha Ahmed, a mother of two said, ‘I did it when I was a bride because I didn’t really have a choice. Where I come from, it would have been unheard of for a bride to skip the full gyaran jiki process. People would have talked and I didn’t want the gossip. But many doctors advised against it.
‘After I got married I chose not to continue. And luckily, my husband did not mind. I understand the risks now, so I decided not to do it anymore.’
For those who provide the service, Dukhan is seen as an essential part of women’s beauty and self-care.
Jamila Yakubu, who runs a spa in Abuja and Kaduna since 2019, said she first encountered the smoke bath as part of everyday life in northern Nigeria. ‘As a northerner who has spent all her life in the North, I would say I first learnt about Dukhan from my environment since it is common here. Then I made research about it online before attending classes on it,’ she explained.
Jamila, who studied botany (the scientific study of plants), blends cultural practice with scientific knowledge. She said, ‘During a Dukhan session, body scrubs of different types are prepared from natural ingredients; and these scrubs are applied all over the body, then the scrubbing begins. Afterwards, the steaming session is next. The client sits in a sauna body steamer for about 20 minutes. The dorut wood is also burnt, allowing the smoke to trap in the sauna bag. Cloves and date seeds are also burnt, and women are told to sit on the smoke for a few minutes. This allows the steam to tighten the private part after childbirth. Cloves are known for their antimicrobial properties, which kill certain fungi and bacteria.’
She listed some of the natural materials she uses: turmeric, qasil, henna, moringa, dorot wood, palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, carrot oil, among others. ‘The turmeric is known for instant skin glow and lightening, the qasil, henna and moringa plants are good for exfoliation, acne treatment and skin repair. The dorut wood brightens the skin, while all the oils I use naturally give it a radiant glow,’ Jamila explained.
She said her clients kept coming because they trust her expertise. ‘I don’t just offer a Dukhan service, I also educate them about certain things relating to their skin types. I make them comfortable; and I must say that I have a good customer relationship,’ she said.
Jamila admitted that Dukhan comes with risks if not practised carefully. ‘These disadvantages come when you don’t have a proper knowledge about it. When you sit in the smoke bath, make sure your head is outside the sauna bag; that is why I use a sauna bag to avoid inhalation of smoke, which might cause respiratory problems. I also make sure my clients don’t sit in the steam for long to avoid an increase in blood pressure,’ she explained.
On the cost, she said a regular session could be as low as N25,000, adding, ‘This include body waxing and two steaming sessions. But we offer different packages, depending on your budget. And yes, the price changes for bridal packages.’
Despite her belief in the practice, Jamila also urges moderation. ‘My overall thought about the smoke bath is that women shouldn’t do it too frequently to avoid skin burns and possible inhalation of smoke, except they are having the Dukhan session at a well-equipped space, like I use a sauna bag for mine. I recommend women to do it at least twice monthly and on special occasions,’ she said.
For Meelas, who runs a beauty spa in Abuja, Dukhan is both a passion and a profession. She said, ‘I have always been a woman who loves body care. I used to visit spas regularly, and that was where I learned how the owners interact with their clients. From there, I picked up knowledge about how to prepare and guide women through Dukhan.’
According to her, women come for Dukhan for different reasons: ‘Some are for marriage preparations, others for self-care and body maintenance.
‘Dukhan is 100 per cent healthy. It has no harm. Dukhan is all about beauty, it is just body maintenance to get the skin to look neat and beautiful.
‘Smoke bath is an amazing experience I will advise every woman to get. As a woman, you are supposed to always keep your body neat, smooth and soft; and for this to happen, you can’t rely only on skin products. This is why it is a necessity for every woman. It is advisable to have Dukhan, at least twice monthly.’
However, while women who practise it and those who provide the service often describe smoke bath as cleansing and relaxing, medical experts continue to warn against it.
Dr Nonye Okoye, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist told Weekend Trust that the claimed benefits were not supported by science.
She said, ‘There is no scientific evidence that it tightens the private part. We actually try to speak against women using scented herbs, fragrances or lotions to create a ‘better’ scent because the private part is not meant to have such floral smells. What those things do is distort the normal microorganisms, the natural bacteria that help maintain wellness. Naturally, the private part has different smells, depending on the individual, but it is meant to be musky, like fresh soil, not floral or perfumed.’
Dr Okoye explained that organisations such as the World Health Organisation and many OBGYN associations had openly discouraged steaming and smoke baths.
‘The risks completely outweigh the benefits. Exposing the private part to hot smoke can cause burns. The skin there is very fragile and the heat can lead to thermal injury and damage delicate tissues,’ she stressed.
She warned that the smoke also disrupts the natural balance of the private part, saying, ‘There are bacterial bugs that are meant to be there. The smoke can alter the pH (a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of the environment of the private part), which normally protects women. When that pH is disturbed, it increases the risk of recurrent yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis. It also creates micro-injuries and dryness that make women more vulnerable to HIV and other STIs.’
The dangers, she added, are not only gynecological. ‘Inhaling wood smoke, especially in poorly ventilated rooms, can irritate the lungs, trigger asthma and even cause long-term respiratory disease. Depending on what is burnt, women could also be exposed to toxins, such as carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These toxins can be absorbed into the body and increase susceptibility to infections. And with long-term exposure around the reproductive areas, we also have concerns about fertility.
‘The safer, evidence-based alternative is pelvic floor muscle exercises. Women can learn how to do this from a pelvic floor therapist. These exercises, recommended especially from age 30 onward and for women who have given birth through the private part, strengthen the muscles that support it and other structures. Done consistently, they improve tightness and sexual satisfaction without any risk.
‘Good hygiene, avoiding perfumes or scented washes, and seeing a gynecologist when necessary, are the safe ways to maintain vaginal health. Dukhan is not recommended. It is not evidence-based. What women need is education to make informed, medically sound choices,’ she noted.
Weekend Trust reports that although doctors advise against the Dukhan smoke bath, many women still follow the traditional practice because they believe it enhances sexual intimacy and improves their beauty. Health workers stress that women need education to make informed, medically sound choices, but for now, many continue to trust and follow the Dukhan practice passed down through generations.